1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cleaning systems for photovoltaic installations, more particularly, apparatuses, systems, and methods for cleaning photovoltaic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
The efficiency of a solar panel is measured by the ratio of the amount of sunlight it receives to the amount of electricity it generates. After a solar panel is installed, dust and other debris typically begins to accumulate on the solar panel surfaces. Dust accumulated on a solar panel often reduces the number of photons that the solar panel can convert to electric energy during a unit of time, and therefore may significantly reduce the efficiency of the solar panel. As such, many systems comprise a solar panel cleaning system to improve the efficiency of solar panels. Typically, most solar panel cleaning systems use liquid cleaning solutions or water for cleaning the solar panels.
Dust and other debris may also become moist from rain, dew, and other condensation on the panels. The moistened dust and debris may become sticky and adhere to the surfaces of the solar panel. This typically complicates the cleaning process, and is one reason that most cleaning systems use liquid cleaning solutions in the cleaning process.
In the field of solar panel cleaning systems, one common practice is water-rich solutions, which use a large amount of water to wash away dusts on a solar panel. This water-rich solution, however, is high cost and impractical in water-deficient environments such as deserts. Another common practice in the field of solar panel cleaning systems is to use dust-repelling coating, which does not involve intensive water use. Unfortunately, dust-repelling coating cannot effectively remove all dust on a solar panel, but even a very low percentage of dust retention on a solar panel will cause a reduction in the solar panel efficiency. Furthermore, any moisture from humidity condensation or sporadic rain will cause the dust to turn into mud and stick to the solar panels, making dust-repelling coatings ineffective.